Nvidia's VGX Platform Delivers 'Virtualized Desktop'

SAN JOSE, CA — Nvidia has unveiled the VGX platform, which enables IT departments to deliver a virtualized desktop with the graphics and GPU computing performance of a PC or workstation to employees using any connected device.

With the Nvidia VGX platform in the data center, employees can now access a true cloud PC from any device — thin client, laptop, tablet or smartphone — regardless of its operating system, and enjoy a responsive experience for the full spectrum of applications previously only available on an office PC.

VGX enables knowledge workers to access a GPU-accelerated desktop similar to a traditional local PC. The platform’s manageability options and low latency remote display capabilities extend this convenience to those using 3D design and simulation tools, which had previously been too intensive for a virtualized desktop.

Integrating the VGX platform into the corporate network also enables enterprise IT departments to address the complex challenges of “BYOD” — employees bringing their own computing device to work. It delivers a remote desktop to these devices, providing users the same access they have on their desktop terminal. At the same time, it helps reduce overall IT spend, improve data security and minimize data center complexity.

“Nvidia VGX represents a new era in desktop virtualization,” says Jeff Brown, general manager of the Professional Solutions Group at Nvidia. “It delivers an experience nearly indistinguishable from a full desktop while substantially lowering the cost of a virtualized PC.”

The VGX platform is part of a series of announcements Nvidia is making at the GPU Technology Conference (GTC).

VGX is based on three key technology breakthroughs:

- VGX Boards: these are designed for hosting large numbers of users in an energy-efficient way. The first Nvidia VGX board is configured with four GPUs and 16 GB of memory, and fits into the industry-standard PCI Express interface in servers.

- VGX GPU Hypervisor: this software layer integrates into commercial hypervisors, such as the Citrix XenServer, enabling virtualization of the GPU.

- User Selectable Machines (USMs): this manageability option allows enterprises to configure the graphics capabilities delivered to individual users in the network, based on their demands. Capabilities range from true PC experiences available with the Nvidia standard USM to enhanced professional 3D design and engineering experiences with Nvidia Quadro or Nvidia NVS GPUs.

The VGX platform enables up to 100 users to be served from a single server powered by one VGX board, dramatically improving user density on a single server compared with traditional virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solutions. It sharply reduces such issues as latency, sluggish interaction and limited application support, all of which are associated with traditional VDI solutions.

With the NVIDIA VGX platform, IT departments can serve every user in the organization — from knowledge workers to designers — with true PC-like interactive desktops and applications.

The VGX platform, including new VGX boards, the GPU Hypervisor and USMs, is planned to be available for deployment across the enterprise through Nvidia’s hardware OEM and VDI partners later this year.